Operating mechanism for faucets



R. H. MARCHANT OPERATING MECHANISM FOR FAUCETS July 19 52" Fil ed A112. 27, 1946 w m m N I POD/YE Y H. MARC 6N T BY f/4 1 A; $7;

Patented July 15, 1952 ES PATENT, OFFICE.

OPERATING .MECHANISM FOR FAUCETS Rodney HrMarchant, Oakland, Calif. Application August 2'7, 1946, Serial No. 693,305

5 Claims.

invention relates to faucets or valves for controlling. the flow of fluids and has particular reference to the structure of such devices which efiects the flow control.

-An object of the invention is to provide a valve or faucet provided with an operating handle, or the like which ,is capable of opening and closing th valve bycyclic movement in a plurality of angularly intersecting planes. Another object of the invention is to provide, in a How control device of the character described, means for permanently connecting a. valve closure element to its stem or control element without the use of screws or other such attachment members. v v v x A further object of the invention to provide,

in a faucet having an operating member movable selectively in horizontal and vertical directions to open the faucet to permit fluid flow there through, a resilient closure element which serves, when stressed, as a spring for returning the operating member to its off position.

Still another object of the invention is .to, provide, in a faucet of the character described having associated with-the operating handle thereof a cam for effecting opening of the valve upon movement of the handle, an element carried by the valve stem which cooperates with the cam to effect valve operation and which further serves as a readily relaeasable means for connecting the stem and handle together.

The inventionpossesses other objects and features of advantage, some of -which, with the foregoing, will be set forth'in the following descriptionof the preferred form of the invention which isillustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that, variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims. 7

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is-aperspective' view of the faucet of my invention with the pin retaining cap shown in vertical section so as to disclose the underlying structure. H j' Figure 2 is a'longitudinal vertical; sectional view of the faucet.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken in the plane indicated bythe 1ine 33 of Figure 2 and showing the positions of the operating parts when the valve of the faucet'is in its full open position.

- The faucet of the present invention possesses a certain degree-of similarity to that shown and issued to me on August '17, 1937. In the latter structure a resilient plug member similar to the one used herein is employed as the valve closure element which is operated by a vertically movable stem actuated by an eccentric arrangementprovided with a handle operable in a vertical pathof movement to open and close the valve so as to control fluid flow therethrough. Thefaucet of the present invention differs from the previous type in that movement of the operating handle along either vertical or horizontal pathsof movement'will effect opening of the valveand,"in one case, the handle will be automatically returned, when released, to off position whilein another case the handle may be retained in a selected setting. y

In detail, the structure of my invention may be incorporated in any type of low or medium pressure'valve such as'thetry bibb shown as-an example in the drawing and comprising a body 4 having a threaded inlet stem '6 and -a-sp0ut l projecting from opposite sides thereof-and a-bonnet extension 8 rising therefrom! -An'- inlet duct 9, concentric with the stems opens into -a cylindrical chamber 1 l,-concentric withthe bonnet extension -8, and an outlet passage lzextending through; the spout -T communicates with the chamber ll through a valve port-l3 provided in the bottom end of the chamber. Disposed, in and extending of the chamber I l is a plug member I 4, composed of rubber or other yieldable material of a similar nature, having a preferably rounded lower end forming a valve l6 overlyingand closing the valve port [3 and provided at. its upper end with a peripheral flange 41 seated in a-counterbored portion [8 of the chamberextending into the latter from the upper end of the bonnet extension 8. The-engagement of theflangel'l in the counterbore l8 serves to center-the plug member H in coaxial, relationship with the chamber l l and-with the valve port l3. Overly-'- ing the upper end of the plug member [4 is a yieldable compression-Washer 19 which is engaged by a guide disk 20 of circular form concentric with the washer and of sufficient diameterto overlie the upper end of the bonnet extension 8 beyond the periphery of the counterbore I 8. The guide disk is provided with an upperrdiametrically reduced plug portion 22 which enters and extends through a central aperture 23 formed in a bonnet 24 having internal screw threads 26 which engage mating screw threads provided externally of and at the upper end of'the bonnet extension 8. Tightening of thebonnet on its threads will pinch the flange 2| of the guide disk against the pper end of the bonnet extension thus clamping the guide disk in place and compressing the washer I9 against the upper end of the plug member I4. In its normal free condition the plug member is of such a length that when its valve portion I6 is resting on and closing the valve port the lower face of the flange II will be resting on Or will be spaced slightly above the bottom surface of the counterbore' I8. Thus, when the bonnet is cinched down the resulting compression of the Washer I9 plus that which may-occur in the plug member will forcibly urge the valve portion l9 against and to close the valve pressing the plug member I4 to open the valve port I3.

Means is provided for axially compressing the plug member so as to raise the valve portion t6 clear of the valve port and thus open the latter to permit fluid flow from the inlet duct 9, through the valve port and into and through the outlet passage I2. Concentric with and extending axially into the plug member Ill from the upper end thereof is a cylindrical, downwardly convergent recess 21 into the bottom of which is permanently molded the circular ridges 29 formed on the lower end of a cylindrical stem SI which extends concentrically upwardly and out'of the recess. The extreme lower end 32 of the stem is rounded and substantially corre sponds in shape with the valve It so that the yieldable end material forming the valve is provided with a solid backing member against which it may be compressed to add to itsforcible closure of the valve port. The relationship between the stem 3| and the plug member I4 is suchthat, when the stem is moved axially upwardly, its interconnection with the plug member willcause a similar axial compression of the plug member to raise the valve portion I6 from its seat to open the valve port. It will be noted that compression of the washer I9 and the plug member flange II in the counterbore I8 effects a seal which prevents leakage of any of thefiuid under pressure 26, prevents rotational movement of the stem relativeto its associated parts. An operating handle 36 is provided at one end of which is an integral hub, 31 provided with a central cylindrical aperture 38 through which the stem extends. The upper face of the hub is provided with a concentric boss 39 whose upper annular surface has an undulatory cam curvature providing a pair of diametrically opposed elevated ridges II and ,a pair of diametrically opposed notches 42 disposed at right anglesjto the ridges dI.1Preferably,the ridges 4| are positioned so that a plane intersecting them coincides with the longitudinal axis of the handle 38. A cam follower is provided in the form ofa pin-43 which is in slidable engagement with a transaxial i Means preventing axial disenga'ge.

.4 vided in a cap 46 positionedconcentrically of the hub 37 and frictionally engaging the peripheral shoulder 41 of the cam boss 39.

It will be seen from the drawing that opening of the valve to permit fluid flow therethrough may be accomplished in either oftwo independent ways. closed when the follower pm $3 is resting in the cam notches 42. However,v as soon as the operating handle 36 is manually moved in a horizontal plane to the right or to the left the upwardly inclined surfaces of the cam will be forced under the follower pin thus forcing the latter to move upwardly along a path coinciding with the axis of the stem and thereby axially comas was hereinbefore described. The handle may be rotated a quarter turn in either direction until the follower pin rests on the high points of the cam, as shown in Figure 3, when the valve will be fully open. When this condition. obtains; the plug member'M will be under full compression with the result that, when the handle 36 is rereleased, the downward pressure'of the follower pin against the cam will effect frictional holding of the handle to adjusted position. It will also'be seen that when the operating handle is in its off position, shown in Figure 2, manual depression or elevationlof the distal end of the handle in a vertical planewill cause a rocking movement 'tobe'imparted to the hub 31 about fulcrum points'on the perimeter of the bottom surface thereof where the vertical axial planeof the handle intersects the perimeter. The result ing vertical lift impartedto the stem will effect opening of the valve which will be returned to its closed position upon release of the handle due to the released expansive force'of the compressed plug member.

The faucet of my invention just described may be readily servicedwithout the need of vtools other than a wrench tqv remove and, replace the bonnet a movable lower portion engaging and normally.

closing said valve port, a movable operating handle on saidfaucet a stem guide onfsaid faucet, a stem slidably engaging said stem guide concentric with and secured to said plug meme ber adjacent said movableend thereof, means cooperative between said stem andfstem guide for limiting said stem to axial movement relative to said guide, and means carried by said stem and said operating handle cooperative upon movement of I said handle; in either direction :vertically or horizontally for moving said stem and movable portion of said plug member away from saidvalveport g a 2. In a faucethaving a-valve port through w fluid y-fl w to be discharged from; the

faucet, a resilient plug member disposed in axial concentricity with said valve port and having therein. an.- axially extending recess; said .plug

member having a ow'er movable end portion As shown in Figure 2, the valve is f axially extending recess therein,

lower portion thereof disposed over and closing normally overlying and closing said valve port and an upper fixedly held end portion, a stem guide on, said faucet, a stem slidably engaged with said stem guide and entering the recesslof said plug member, peripheral ridges on the end of said stem within the plu recess, said plug having within the recess thereof portions intimately engaging said stem ridges for securing f nectingsaid stem and operatin handle whereby said stem will be moved to move the lower end of said plug member away from said valve,

.port when said operating'handle is moved in .lower portion thereof disposed over and closing the valve port and a peripheral flange at the upper end thereof seated in said counterbore, a

stem guide overlying the open end of said chamber and arranged to compress said plug member flange in'said counterbore to effect a sealed closure for the chamber, a stem slidably engaged in said stem guide and connected'with said movable portion of the plug member, means cooperative between the stem and stem guide for limitin movement of the stem to axial directions, an operating handle on said faucet, and means connecting said stem and operating handle whereby said stem will be moved to move the movable end of the plug member away from said valve port when said operating handle is moved in either direction horizontally or vertically. V

4. In a faucet having a body provided with an open ended chamber into which fluid may flow from a source of supply and having in the bottom thereof a valve port through which fluid may be discharged from the chamber and the faucet, said body having a counterbore at the open end of and borderin said chamber, a resilient plug member disposed in and concentric with said chamber, said plug member having an a movable the valve port and a peripheral flange at the upper end thereof seated in said counterbore, a stem guide overlying the open end of said chamber and arranged to compress said plug member flange in said counterbore to effect a sealed closure for the chamber, said stem guide having an elongated aperture therein, a stem having a portion thereof shaped correspondingly with and slidable in said aperture and connected with said movable portion of the plug member, means securing said stem guide against movementin said valve body, an, operating handle on said faucet," said operating handle having a hub provided with a central, aperture through which said stem passes, a cam follower attached to said stem and overlying said operating handle hub, and an undulant cam on said hub engaging said cam follower for axially elevating said stem when said operating handle is moved in either direction horizontally or rocked in either direction vertically. I e

5. In a faucet having a body provided with an, open ended chamber into which fluid may flowfrom a source of supply and having in the ,bot-

tom thereof a valve port through which fluid may be discharged from the chamber and the faucet, said :body having a counterbore at the open end of and bordering said chamber, a resilient plug member disposed in and concentric with said chamber, said plug member havin an axially extending recess therein, a movable lower; portion thereof disposed over and, closing the valve port and a peripheral flange at the upper end thereof seated in said counterbore, a stem guide overlying the open end of said chamber and arranged to compress said plug member flange in said counterbore to effect a sealed closure for the chamber, said stem guide having an elongated aperture therein, a stem having a portion thereof shaped correspondingly with and slidable in said aperture and connected with said movable portion of the plug member, means securing said stem guide againstrmovement in said valve body, an operating handle on said faucet, said operating handle having a hub provided with a central aperture through-which said stem passes, a cam follower attached to said stem and overlying said operating handle hub, an undulant cam on said hub engaging said cam follower for axially elevating said stem when said operating handle is moved in either direction horizontally or vertically, and a member engaged with said operating handle and enclosing said cam follower for retaining said follower in position.

RODNEY H. MARCI-IANT.-

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 588,765 Draullette Aug. 24, 1897 2,089,977 Marchant Aug. 17, 1937 2,216,292 Evleth Oct. 1, 1940 V FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,075 France of 1903 ,(Addition'to No. 322,547) 7 603,632 France of 1926 

